Autumn has always been my favorite time of year, the sun takes on a new set of shadows and the evenings and mornings breezes carry the scent of the harvest beginning to take place. At this moment in time we’re experiencing an Indian Summer, the mornings promise a cool day and then without notice the day turns hot and stays that way until the sun fades. Lots of folks bemoan the Indian summer days, but not being a cold weather lover, I’ll take every warm day we can get until the frost sets in.

The fall also brings something new for me these last few years and that is the advent of all the Western Cowman photo contest entries, and once again this year the record has been broken in the number of photos received. I’ll continue to keep you in suspense about the number until the November issue arrives with all the winning photos covering the pages. I’ve spent quite a few evenings in the last two weeks staying up long past the midnight hour, logging in photos, breaking photos into categories, and getting things ready for judging.

At this point the photos have seen two rounds of judging and we’re packing them up for the flight to Sun Valley this weekend for David Stoecklein’s final word about who our 2010 winners will be. Because the contest has grown to be so large, we find that it’s necessary that we make some changes for the 2011 contest. So please watch the magazine and the website for the changes coming in 2011.

This October issue contains some very interesting articles. If you’ve ever wondered about raising Lowline cattle and the benefits they bring to the table, Heather Smith Thomas has a great article on Alturas Ranches and the great set of Lowlines that they’ve developed, it’s a breed that just might fit into your operation. We’ve found a new frost-free way for you to water your cattle. Be sure and look up the article “The Frost-Free Nosepump”, I think you’ll find it extremely interesting and it might be just the ticket for you.

Wes Ishmael weighs in with another excellent piece in his continuing series “Them Against Us” in this issue, it’s one you won’t want to miss. And like we usually do, we try to tickle your fancy with the tales of Hooter and a smile or two on the Bull Board.

I also want to give a shout out to the many folks who called, e-mailed and left messages regarding last months “Trails,” when I took the opportunity to vent on the letter writer that felt we had used bad judgment on our July-August cover. I really appreciate all your comments and support. At the end of the day, those are the things that make all the difference.

As we head into this harvest season, try and find a quiet spot to take in the splendor this time of year provides, enjoy the view with this exceptional issue, sip on some brew of the season, and avoid the ghosts and goblins among you. I’m going to take this trail right into November and be thankful for all its provided…….Happy Trails